New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Kibetio’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Kibetio’, characterized by its dark pink-colored flowers with light lavender eye; freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage; rounded, somewhat upright and compact plant habit; freely branching growth habit; bushy appearance; leaves that are somewhat upright in aspect; dark green and somewhat glossy; and relative resistance to Botrytis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Kibetio.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program by theInventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program isto develop new Impatiens cultivars with interesting and unique flowerand foliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of theImpatiens hawkeri selection identified as DE 29, not patented, as themale, or pollen parent, with the Impatiens hawkeri selection identifiedas BP 330, not patented, as the female, or seed parent. The cultivarKibetio was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment inGensingen, Germany in April, 1997.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atGensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kibetio’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kibetio’ as a new and distinct Impatienscultivar:

1. Dark pink-colored flowers with light lavender eye.

2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond thefoliage.

3. Rounded, somewhat upright and compact plant habit.

4. Freely branching growth habit; bushy appearance.

5. Leaves that are somewhat upright in aspect; dark green and somewhatglossy.

6. Relatively resistant to Botrytis.

Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection BP 330, plants ofthe new Impatiens are more compact and have larger flowers with a morepronounced eye. Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection DE29, plants of the new Impatiens are more vigorous, have glossier greenfoliage and flower color is brighter pink.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivarDelias, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,838. Plants of the newImpatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Delias in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more vigorous and bushier than plantsof the cultivar Delias.

2. Leaves of the new Impatiens are more upright in aspect than leaves ofthe cultivar Delias.

3. Flower color of the new Impatiens is more intense pink with a lightereye than flower color of the cultivar Delias.

4. Plants of the new Impatiens are more resistant to Botrytis thanplants of the cultivar Delias.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivarTahiti, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,601. Plants of the newImpatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Tahiti in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens are less vigorous than plants of thecultivar Tahiti.

2. Leaves of the new Impatiens are more upright in aspect, smaller andglossier than leaves of the cultivar Tahiti.

3. Flower color of the new Impatiens is more intense pink with a lightereye than flower color of the cultivar Tahiti.

4. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of thecultivar Tahiti.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof three typical flowering plants of ‘Kibetio’ grown in a 21.5-cmcontainer.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view oftypical developing flower buds, upper surfaces of typical flowers, thelower surface of a typical flower, and the upper and lower surfaces oftypical leaves.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Kibetio has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, waterstatus and fertility level, without, however, any variance in genotype.The following observations and measurements describe plants grown inEncinitas, Calif., during the late spring and early summer, undercommercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures about 24° C., night temperatures about 20° C., and lightlevels generally about 2,750 foot-candles. Plants used in the followingdescription were about 16 weeks old and grown in 21.5-cm containers withthree plants per container.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Kibetio.

Commercial classification: New Guinea Impatiens cultivar Kibetio.

Parentage:

Male parent.—Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as DE 29, notpatented.

Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as BP 330, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 15 days at 22° C. Winter: About 20days at 20° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—Summer: About 21 days at 22°C. Winter: About 25 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Rounded and somewhat upright; compact. Appropriatefor 10 to 25-cm containers; multiple plants are typically planted inlarger containers.

Growth and branching habit.—Freely branching with about 6 to 7 lateralbranches at the base, dense and bushy growth. Pinching, that is, removalof the terminal apices, is typically not required. Moderately vigorousto vigorous.

Crop time.—From an unrooted cutting, about 16 weeks are required toproduce finished flowering plants.

Plant height.—About 17 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 23.5 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Internodelength: About 3.1 cm. Color: 144A blushed (overlaid) with 59C.

Foliage description.—Length: About 9.25 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape:Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrulate withciliation. Texture: Somewhat glossy. Aspect: Positioned somewhatupright. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 137A. Young foliage, lowersurface: 137B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fullyexpanded foliage, lower surface: 147C. Midvein, upper surface: 147C to147D, dark pink, 63A, towards petiole. Midvein, lower surface: 63D to59D. Petiole: Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: Uppersurface, close to 63A; lower surface, 63D.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single dark pink flowers with lightpink eye. Freely flowering, usually about 9 flowers and flower buds perlateral branch. Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage andtypically face upward or outward. Flowers somewhat cupped and squarishto circular in shape. Flowers last about 10 days on the plant dependingon temperature and weather conditions. Petals self-cleaning; gynoeciumpersistent. Not fragrant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden,flowering from spring until fall.

Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm.

Flower depth.—About 1.8 cm.

Flower buds (at stage of showing color).—Rate of opening: From showingcolor to fully open flower, typically about 2 to 3 days depending ontemperature. Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 62A.

Petals.—Quantity: Single, five per flower. Length: Banner petal: About2.5 cm. Lateral petals: About 2.6 cm. Base petals: About 3.4 cm. Width:Banner petal: About 3.8 cm. Lateral petals: About 2.5 cm. Base petals:About 3 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Cordate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.Texture: Smooth; velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Apices,57A, gradually lightening to the base, 82C. When opening, lower surface:57D. Fully opened, upper surface: Apices, 57A to 57B, graduallylightening to the base, 82C to 82D. With subsequent development: apices,57B to 57C; mid-section, 80C; base, 82C to 82D. Fully opened, lowersurface: 57D to lighter than 57D at base.

Spur.—Length: About 3.7 cm. Color: 59A to 59B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4.3 cm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright toabout 60° from vertical. Color: 183D.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers,filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Total androecium size: About 4 mmby 5 mm. Anther color: 155A. Amount of pollen: Scarce to moderate.Pollen color: 155A. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma color:155A. Style color: 144A. Ovary color: 144A to 144B.

Seed development.—Seed development has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed to berelatively resistant to Botrytis.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Kibetio’, as illustrated and described.